Operation: Lion Strike
by Theo 'Blitz' Leung
Summary: ADA may be destined to die, but Leo can't stand by and watch it happen. However, his journey for life may only bring him and his friends closer to death.... (Complete)
1. Lion Strike

I Won't Let You ****

Lion Strike

By: Theodore 'Blitz' Leung

[Theoleung@sprint.ca][1]

****

Disclaimer: I don't own Zone of the Enders (ZOE). Konami does. I wish I did, it's a good game, albeit short. But the Metal Gear Solid 2 (MGS2) demo was a good addition. Anyway, enough rambling, time to get this fic on.

****

Author's Note: This fic takes place pretty much right after ZOE. Of course I'm pretty sure ZOE2 deals with the Mars Mission, but, eh, this is a challenge for me. Let's get to it.

Leo slowly let the low gravity pull him back down onto the platform. Celvice looked up at Leo from her bed, wincing in pain from the wound inflicted by Viola. Elena Weinberg and Rock Thunderheart also stood on the platform, analyzing the condition of Jehuty from their viewpoint on the elevator like platform.

"Leo...I'm so glad you're okay..." Celvice told the Jehuty pilot weakly, raising a hand. Leo took the hand in his own two, clutching it tightly.

"Don't speak Celvice...just rest," Leo told the young female teen. She was about to protest, but another wince of pain up her nerves silenced her, getting her to calm down and lie back down on the bed. She nodded lightly, agreeing with the boy's advice.

"ADA, status," Rock asked the artificial intelligence for Jehuty. Leo quickly turned his gaze to the older man, anger flaring. Here Leo was, risking his life, and Celvice's life for that damn Frame, and all Rock could care about is Jehuty, not the two lives at risk.

Elena placed a hand on Leo's shoulder, seeing the anger build up inside the boy. The pilot of Jehuty quickly looked back, noting the caring eyes of Elena. He calmed down quickly, watching, albeit hating it.

"Confrontation with Anubis has damaged Jehuty greatly," ADA reported in her mechanical female voice. "Superiority index dropped 99.98% during the battle. Repairs to bring Jehuty back to fully operational status impossible within time constraints to Mars."

"I see..." Rock muttered, trying to think up a plan. Elena decided not to wait, taking her comlink.

"Begin repairs on Jehuty right away," she told the other side. "We have to bring Jehuty to maximum efficiency, or as close to it as possible." Multiple 'affirmatives' over the system was echoed through the link, then it was shut off. Mechanical arms and machinery began to work, sparks flaring all across Jehuty as repairs began. Elena then turned back to Leo.

"We have two days until we reach Mars, three if we take long routes, but that would put us behind schedule," Elena informed the pilot. Leo nodded, absorbing the information. "You had a long day...we provided a room for you. Please rest." Leo nodded again, still angered, but containing it. He gazed at Celvice, wondering what would happen to her.

"Please take her back to the infirmary," Elena suggested, as though she read Leo's mind. The boy pilot nodded, taking the stretcher by the handle and pushing it off to another elevator platform. The elevator automatically moved, despite the fact Leo didn't input a destination yet. He looked back down at Elena, who was smiling at him then turned back to the work at hand.

* * * * * *

"Leo, what's wrong?" Celvice asked as the boy pushed the stretcher like item forward down the hallway. It was regular gravity unlike the docking bay in the Atlantis. The boy didn't respond, only continued to push the stretcher across one of the many hallways on the Atlantis.

"Leo...please?" Celvice asked, not wanting her friend to bottle up his emotions for all this time. The boy gazed down at Celvice, and although she might not be able to see him in her current condition on the bed, he knew she was 'watching' him.

"It's nothing, Celvice," Leo forced out, not wanting to place all his anger on the wounded girl. He was angered, that was a fact, but he didn't have the heart to bring it against Celvice, but with that thought, he wasn't as full of anger as before.

"It's about Rock, isn't it?" Celvice answered, though not completely sure of it herself. Jehuty's pilot sighed, knowing Celvice was just trying to make it easier by making him admit it.

"Partially...but not completely," Leo responded, stopping in the corridor. "Rock's uncaring nature towards us and towards Jehuty is getting to my nerves...but there's something much worse that bothers me..."

"And what's that?" Celvice asked, hoping to get it out of Leo's system. The boy once again fell silent, this time just unable to say it.

"It's ADA," Leo finally admitted, looking away from the wounded girl. Celvice blinked in confusion, wondering what was so concerning about ADA and Jehuty. "She and Jehuty are going on a suicide run in the Mars Mission..."

"As in..." Celvice asked softly, trying to comprehend, but she thought she got the basic idea.

"As in ADA is going to steer Jehuty inside the enemy base and self-detonate..." Leo explained, albeit it left his lips pretty slowly. Celvice finally understood completely what Leo was going towards.

"And you don't want her to die..." Celvice told the boy, though the answer was clear. Leo nodded, turning back towards Celvice.

"She may be an...emotionless machine...but her purpose isn't to die!" Leo shouted out, now letting the anger boil within.

"Her...purpose?" the wounded female asked.

"During our docking sequence, she told me her mission...and she said it was for an emotionless robot..." Leo explained, sighing and falling onto his bum in the corridor, pulling his legs close to his chest. "She had no regrets...if she could feel regret...I don't know..."

"Can you stop destiny?" Celvice asked, closing her eyes. "If it is ADA's destiny to do such a mission...can you really interfere?"

"Is it even destiny?" Leo retorted, standing back up and placing his hands on the handle of the stretcher. "Celvice...I'm sorry to bother you with this an-"

"Shh...Leo..." Celvice interrupted, silencing the boy. "Don't apologize, I pried it out of you, and I'm sorry to. But please, don't let it discourage you..."

"It's hard not to..." Leo responded bitterly, beginning to push the stretcher again to the infirmary.

* * * * * *

Elena sat in the cockpit of Jehuty, running her hand over the controls. The mechanical arms outside were repairing the damaged Orbital Frame as quickly as possible, but the way it was heading, it didn't seem like it would be enough to bring Jehuty to maximum capacity.

"ADA...report..." Elena asked the artificial intelligence of Jehuty.

"Internal damage of Jehuty being repair, however progress is slow," ADA responded. "Recommend Jehuty's exterior hull to be fully repaired three hours before deployment point."

"Recommended noted," Elena told the machine. The two fell silent once more, before ADA broke the silence.

"Elena...may I ask you a question?" ADA asked, though a bit hesitantly, sort of a surprise for the female engineer.

"Of course..." Elena finally replied after regaining her composure.

"Is life...that precious?" ADA forced out, still a strange change from the normal cool and logical form of ADA that Elena knew.

"Of course it is," Elena answered.

"Why?" ADA asked next, stopping Elena completely.

"Err..." Elena spoke, trying to find the right words to describe it. "Life is important to all of us. It's really hard to explain...but you should look up to Leo for an answer...he might have one..."

"His actions are always illogical," ADA told Elena. "He refuses to take a life and will try to save a life even if the risk involves taking his life. He said being 'wanted' or 'needed' as a reason for this illogical actions."

"Well, then you'll really have to ask him if you want a straight answer," the female engineer told the intelligence.

"Why are there those who take lives?" ADA asked next, as if searching for meaning in her own existence.

"Again...it is really hard to explain..." Elena spoke. "I don't know how to describe it to you...I guess...we all have our emotions..."

"Emotions..." ADA repeated, silencing her for now.

"Getting off topic...we need a name for this operation...and suggestions?" Elena asked the intelligence, though not expecting an answer as soon as that.

"Lion Strike," ADA spoke almost instantly. The engineer was trying to figure why, but then it dawned to her.

"It has to do with him..." Elena spoke softly.

"Affirmative."

"Very well, Lion Strike it is," Elena spoke, 'patting' ADA. "Thank you for this conversation..." With those words, Elena leaped out of the cockpit using the low gravity, heading towards the upper platform to continue to supervise the repairs to Jehuty.

Fin

****

Completed: 06/29/01

   [1]: mailto:Theoleung@sprint.ca



	2. Playing With Life

Playing With Life ****

Playing With Life

By: Theodore 'Blitz' Leung

[Theoleung@sprint.ca][1]

****

Disclaimer: I don't own Zone of the Enders (ZOE). Konami does. I wish I did, it's a good game, albeit short. But the Metal Gear Solid 2 (MGS2) demo was a good addition. Anyway, enough rambling, time to get this fic on.

Leo slowly slipped into the seat of the large device. He was hesitant still on using the device, but after hearing about it, he couldn't resist a look at it. The seat was comfy, but Leo figured he wouldn't notice once he activated the device.

"What am I doing?" he thought, staring at the blank screen in front of him. "My mission is done, why am I here?" His thoughts were broken with the loud closing of the hatch he entered from. Darkness surrounded him for a brief moment, then all the screens flashed to life.

"Simulator activated," a masculine voice told Leo, something he was unaccustomed to after being with ADA throughout Jehuty. Wire frame terrain surrounded him, before the computer made the terrain whole with its graphics, one square of data at a time. Leo placed his hands on the controls for the simulation Frame, getting used to it. He might still be a pilot, but he wasn't accustomed to such a format for controls. The pilot played around the movement of the unknown Frame of data he would be piloting.

"Are you ready?" the computer asked, taking Leo's attention away from the movement controls. The pilot stared blankly at the screens before him, still hesitant.

"Begin," Leo finally muttered, his hands gripping tightly over the controls.

"Acknowledged," was the computer's response, an orbital Frame appearing before Leo. This was of a Raptor, something Leo was very familiar with. The Frame Runner closed his eyes, before opening them and rushing forward with his Frame. The Boxing like Raptor raised its two arms, crimson energy glowing around the two fists.

A sapphire coloured fist lashed out at the Raptor, surprising Leo initially. He was accustomed to the normal blue energy blade that was part of Jehuty's arsenal of destructive weapons. Regaining his composure and gaining the knowledge of a Frame that didn't pilot like Jehuty, he recognised a long battle coming up. AS it is, he had difficulty cracking the guarding defence of these boxers with Jehuty, let alone with a 'less advanced' Frame. Then again, Leo wasn't even sure what he was doing in this combat simulator.

Leo continued to box around with the Raptor, but found that his Frame was incredibly inadequate for such a task. The pilot was so used to outmatching his opponent with such power that he never really thought of strategy to combat.

"Guess I'll have to try something new..." the Frame Runner whispered, igniting his boosters and dashing backwards, avoiding a right jab from the Raptor. A second later, Leo unleashed a barrage of Geyser probes. The cage of lasers halted the Raptor momentarily as it needed to weave around the attack. "Alright, let's see what this Frame can do..." With those words, Leo pressed the trigger button.

Phalanx shots blasted out in a hail of energy, slamming right into the Raptor as it made another mad dash towards its opponent. The shots were plentiful, but despite that fact, the barrage seemed to have fazed the Raptor as it continued its straight rush for Leo. Once more, Leo fired a barrage of Phalanx, and once more, it did little to stop the attack.

"AHH!" Leo screamed out, despite it being a simulation. He shut his eyes tightly, clamping hard on the controls before him.

The supposed fist never hit its mark, and Leo slowly opened his eyes to figure out why.

The Raptor was in front of him. Looking over the Frame's shoulder, Leo noticed a Halberd laser beam streaking through the chest of the Raptor. The Frame Runner breathing became harsh, belief of escaping death occurring to him. Slowly, he released the Halberd, dropping the Raptor onto the ground with a metallic clank. Leo's breathing gradually stabilised, though his hands still remained firm on the controls.

"I don't believe you were Jehuty's Frame Runner," the com blared to life, scaring the heck out of Leo.

"W-Who are you?" the pilot stammered, still trying to regain himself from the previous battle.

"The back-up Frame Runner for Jehuty," the voice responded harshly. "I'm Alan's replacement if he ever got ill before we went to retrieve Jehuty. Guess it didn't happen."

"What do you want?" Leo asked, wondering if this pilot meant offence or not. 

"At first, nothing," the pilot answered. "But after watching your pathetic display at dealing with a simulation Raptor, I feel embarrassed that a kid like you got that Frame onto the Atlantis intact."

"W-W-What?!" Leo shouted out, now knowing the pilot was getting to him.

"How did you survive fighting through an army of Raptors and not take one on in a simulation?" the other pilot told Leo.

"I'm not used to this Frame..." Leo retorted, albeit meekly.

"A good Frame Runner can pilot anything," was the response. Another Frame materialised before Leo, this time of a non-Raptor model. The model was of a Frame that had a large cannon as a head. Leo recalled seeing one defending the colony before he encountered Jehuty. "You are a pathetic display of a Frame Runner. Come on, I'll show you how its done."

Leo had exactly 0.47 seconds to wonder about the Frame he was using before his opposition rushed forward, something unexpected from a Frame that was obviously for fire support. The metallic fist of the Frame slammed into the armour plating of Leo's Frame, shaking his simulator violently.

"AHHH!" Leo screamed out, igniting his boosters and retreating. It was a good idea on the Frame Runner's part, as a Halberd attack blasted out of the cannon head from the opposing Frame. The tip of the laser beam nicked Leo's Frame, causing another small tremor within the Frame, but dealing no damage. Once more, Leo's breathing became harsh, taken completely by surprise from the attack.

"If you can't even make a feeble attempt to stop that attack..." the other pilot muttered, not bothering to complete his sentence. Leo regained his breath, firing without remorse with his Phalanx. He heard the faint laugh of his opponent as the opposing Frame only fired back with his Phalanx. At first, it was even, but the dual Phalanx cannons part of that Frame gave Leo's opponent all the advantage he needed for this kind of dual. Eventually, Leo broke off his assault and was forced to retreat or face annihilation.

"Damn...I'm completely outclassed..." Leo muttered, forgetting his comlink was still activated.

"Who do you think has the advantage in a shooting war?" the other pilot asked, laughing once more. "Boy...and to think I thought you were a _good _Frame Runner..." Leo clutched the controls of the Frame tightly, beginning to get fed up with the constant rants against him. "It's no wonder that girl was wounded...your inexperience got her there..."

That was the last straw for Leo. He wouldn't allow this jerk to offend him anymore. Without thought, he blasted forward, running into a full barrage of Phalanx a second later. Within the next second, Leo slammed his fist into the Frame before him, snapping the head of the Frame back. The resulting action shot Phalanx into the sky. Leo didn't stop there, he continued to slam fists into the opposing Frame like a boxer towards a punching bag. The Frame Runner could hear the groans and grunts from the other Runner over the still active com. Nevertheless, Leo didn't let up, floating back and firing a Halberd at point blank. His opponent made dodged left, albeit slowly. The result was the amputation of his right Frame arm.

In the next moment, a Javelin appeared in Leo's arm, slashing despite the fact it was a throwing weapon. The impact destroyed the legs of the Frame. A second upwards slash ripped off the other arm. The Frame fell to the ground with a thump. Leo didn't hold back, raising his Javelin and ready to jam the weapon into the Frame.

"Go ahead kid...try it..." came the reply from the pilot. Leo closed his eyes, thrusting his Frame's arm down.

The tip of the Javelin stopped a few inches away from the main body of the Frame. Leo opened his eyes, unable to bring himself to complete the mission. He deactivated the simulator, letting darkness embrace him.

"Even in simulation, your action remain illogical," a female computerised voice spoke, one that Leo recognised instantly.

"ADA!" Leo exclaimed, surprised by the presence of the Artificial Intelligence. "But...how?"

"My program was downloaded into the central system of the Atlantis," the program replied. Leo sighed in relief.

"And I take it my actions are still illogical because I didn't take that pilot out...right?" Leo asked, though the answer was quite obvious. ADA answered anyway.

"Your actions remain illogical because of that. Despite the fact this is only simulation and that you cannot take the life of another, you still refuse to destroy your opponent."

"Yeah...you're right..." Leo responded sadly, leaning back against the cushioned pilot's seat.

"I am still at a loss for your actions," ADA told her former partner aboard Jehuty.

"I guess you can't go against your ethics...in real battle or in simulation," Leo answered, unsure himself of his actions.

"That will do for now...Your mental condition is currently deteriorating due to lack of rest as well as the stress from this battle," the computer informed Leo. "It is recommend you rest in your quarters so that you may remain focused." On cue, the locking mechanism for the simulator clicked, releasing the 'door' and spilling in light. Leo adapted in a few seconds.

"Alright...g'night ADA..." Leo spoke softly, slipping out of the cockpit.

"Good night...and sweet dreams..." ADA added, surprising the Human. Leo wasn't expecting those last three words, but he didn't let it bother him. He took ADA's advice and headed towards the room assigned to him.

* * * * * *

"So, how does it look?" Elena asked the keypad in the control room of the hanger.

"Leo remains the same behind his thinking, as predicted," ADA answered from the com on the pad.

"Well...it doesn't matter...we can work either way..." Elena replied, typing some orders into the console before her.

"Elena...is what we are doing...alright...?" ADA asked, sounding unsure of their actions aboard the Atlantis. Her orders were clear, but she wasn't sure about the new ones assigned recently.

Elena continued to watch the screen in silence after assigning new orders to refit Jehuty. She didn't want to answer the computer, despite ADA's imminent destruction in the near future. Even if it was just a machine, Elena wondered if the answer would affect the outcome of the Operation: Lion Strike.

"I am sorry...by your mental state, you seem confused," ADA spoke. "Please forget the question I have asked and return to working. I will not bother you again." With those words, ADA 'left' the workstation, leaving the engineer to her own thoughts.

Fin

****

Completed: 07/17/01

   [1]: mailto:Theoleung@sprint.ca



	3. Despair

**

Despair

**

**

By: Theodore 'Blitz' Leung

**

theoleung@sprint.ca

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Zone of the Enders (ZOE). Konami does. I wish I did, it's a good game, albeit short. But the Metal Gear Solid 2 (MGS2) demo was a good addition. Anyway, enough rambling, time to get this fic on.

"Damn!" Leo exclaimed, his Frame rocking from yet another barrage of Phalanx in his direction. He held on tight to the Orbital Frame as he made a mad rush for the space station on Mars, but the amount of other Frames guarding it made it very difficult to cut through.

"Damnit...if I had Jehuty...this wouldn't be a problem..." the boy cursed, gripping the controls of the Frame tightly in his hands, anger over taking all his emotions. His mind set was towards the station, and he would not stop until he died to finish his mission.

Suddenly, a Frame appeared right before him in an attempt to stop his charge. Leo paid no heed, just igniting the Halberd on his Frame and impaling the attacker even before the other Frame had a chance to react. Just as quickly, Leo through the Frame off the shaft like laser weapon and continued on, boosters to full power.

* * * * * *

Leo kneeled down beside Celvice's bed, watching her peaceful form sleep in the infirmary. The young boy smiled a bit, still mad at himself for letting that happen to her in the first place.

Slowly, the boy wrapped his hands around her hand, careful and slowly as not to awaken her from her slumber. He was surprised when Celvice's hand responded, tighting her grip around his two hands.

"Leo..." she whispered between her lips. She turned her head towards Leo's direction, her eyes opening slowly, a smile on her face. Leo nearly fell back in surprise.

"Um...I'm sorry for waking you up..." Leo apologised, bowing his head and looking away from the young female. Celvice rolled onto her side, tilting Leo's head back up towards her with her other hand.

"It's alright Leo," she whispered into his ear, giggling a bit and falling back down onto the bed. She sighed lightly, closing her eyes again.

"Are you alright?" the ex-Frame Runner asked, drawing closer to the wounded girl on the bed. His previous look of apology was replaced by a visage of concern.

"I'm feeling better then before..." Celvice answered softly, touching her wounded side. She winced in a bit of pain from the touch, quickly pulling her hand away. Leo jumped when she hurt herself, watching with much concern. She turned her head towards his direction once more, smiling lightly. "It hurt much more yesterday..."

"Celvice..." Leo spoke softly, once again looking away from the wounded girl. He shook his head in disappointment.

"Leo...?" Celvice questioned, beginning to ponder why Leo actually came.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you..." Leo answered after much hesitation, still looking away. He removed of his hands from Celvice's and returned it to his side, wiping a tear away from his face. Celvice's smile faded, leaning over towards him, even if it hurt her. She didn't care, she just didn't want Leo to feel depressed or angry at himself. She touched his shoulder, though Leo didn't responded to the action.

"It's alright, Leo," she spoke, wrapping her arm around his neck and hugging the Jehuty pilot lightly. Leo sniffled, placing one of his hands on her arm and pulled her a bit closer.

* * * * * *

"Get out of my way!!" Leo screamed out, chopping through another Frame like it was nothing. Warning lights flared around the cockpit of his Frame, warning him about overheating and system failures throughout, but the Frame Runner didn't care. He needed to get to that station, he needed to...or else he would fail again...

* * * * * *

"Elena, how are the repairs?" Leo asked the older, female engineer. He stepped up beside her, still unused to the low gravity of the hanger that housed Jehuty. The ex-Frame Runner bounced up and down a few times to get used to the gravity provided for the hanger.

"We're a bit ahead of schedule, surprising," Elena reported, not looking up from the computer screen she was current stationed at. "But with the amount of damaged sustained to Jehuty in the first place..."

"It won't really matter, will it?" Leo asked, remembering how helpless he was against his battle with Anubis. He glanced at the screen Elena worked. The screen showed a picture of Jehuty, with glowing red sections throughout its body parts, indicating damaged areas. By the looks of it, there was still a lot of red on Jehuty. A thought then occurred to Leo. "Can ADA still run the mission if she's still damaged like that?"

"She could, but the chances of failure would be greater," Elena answered, glancing over to Leo. "Why do you ask?"

"Um...it's nothing..." the boy lied, wishing ADA wouldn't go. He didn't want to see her die, even if she was an 'emotionless machine'. Leo was contemplating if he could stop Jehuty's attack on the Mars base, but he knew that was selfish of him. He sighed lightly, glancing out at the floating Jehuty, constantly under repair of the mechanical arms and tools, never halting through the last 24 hours, since the starting of the task to repair the Frame.

The soft touch of Elena's fingers was placed on his shoulder, surprising the boy. He glanced back at the engineer who worked on Jehuty. She had a frown on her face, also staring out the window towards Jehuty.

"Elena...?" Leo asked, wondering what was bothering the engineer.

"Alan was a good Frame Runner...and a good person..." Elena started, diving into the life of her love. Slowly, unconsciously, her grip on Leo's shoulder grew tighter. "He always looked out for others, trying his best to help them." Leo listened to her story, looking back out towards Jehuty. "He was so sweet and nice..." she spoke, trailing of as her voice dwindled. However, Leo caught the last three words of her sentence: "...just like you..."

Leo raised his arm and place his hand over Elena's hand on his shoulder, touching her softly and lightly.

"Elena..." Leo started, not turning to face her. Slowly, he pulled Elena's hand away from his shoulder. "You speak of Alan being a great guy...which I believe...he's good at what he does, and while is a self-less person."

"However, I can not compare to him..." he continued, now turning to face Elena. "I don't know how...but I can pilot Jehuty...maybe it's my instinct to survive...or maybe it is something else I don't know that is within me, but I do know for a fact that I do not have any skill at piloting a Frame..."

"Even if I did, I still can not compare..." the boy continued, stepping towards the door of the compartment. "I am a very selfish person...I didn't want to bring Jehuty to the Atlantis, I wanted to run...to hide...to not do anything for anyone...I was out to save myself...and only myself..." Elena was about to protest, but Leo didn't allow her to, opening the exit of the room and about to step out.

"I'm nothing like Alan..."

* * * * * *

"Leo, get back here!" Rock's voice shouted through the communication link tapped to Leo's Frame. The boy, in turn, grunted slightly in pain as another random attack in the fray of combat ricocheted off his armour. His attention was quickly thrown back into one of the largest combats out in the field as he tossed a few Geyser pods out into the battle, hopefully getting some of the pursuers off his case.

The Geyser pods did something Leo never saw before. Instead of spraying out a random single laser beam from the tip, instead, it fired lasers from all the tips of the diamond shape, albeit, the beams were shorter, designed more towards Zero-G situations. Leo had no time to admire the laser show, though, as he continued a mad dash towards the Mars station.

"Leo, calm down, you're going to jeopardize the mission," Elena spoke, replacing Rock's harsh voice her calm, calculated one. Leo didn't ignore this one, even if it was from Elena.

"I don't care!" he screamed out, blasting through another Orbital Frame. "I have to save her…I have to…"

"Leo, don't be foolish!" Rock exclaimed, taking over once more. "You're just going to get yourself killed, as well as her!" However, despite that warning, Leo paid no heed as he pressed on towards his destination.

* * * * * *

The Atlantis rocked as weapons of various magnitudes and sizes impacted into its haul. Leo held firm against the railing, keeping himself down as the rocking mad any non-secure object float up in the zero-G environment.

"Leo, you can't go!" Elena screamed out from the door frame of the hanger, hanging onto the side of the wall as she watched Leo leap off the railing and towards a random Orbital Frame stationed within. "It's too dangerous to go out there now!"

"I have to save Celvice!" Leo shouted back, turning around with the zero-G to face back towards Elena as he floated towards his Frame of choice. "I'm not going to let some Frame Runner take her away!" Elena sighed, knowing what that meant. They just dropped off Jehuty, being in the middle of the attack doing so. In the process, and much to the surprise of everyone on the Atlantis, they were attacked directly by an Orbital Frame…a Frame known as Anubis.

Leo was in a ballistic rage when he heard that Anubis took Celvice with little resistance. The boy was determined to get her back, and even if it meant his life, he didn't care.

"I let her down once…I won't let her down again…" Leo whispered, falling into the seat of the Frame and strapping in. Even if he wasn't a good Frame Runner, he still had to try, for Celvice's sake. Elena only watched helplessly as Leo departed from the hangar.

"And so begins the Lion Strike…" she spoke softly, heading back in and towards the command section of the large cargo ship, wondering what Rock's reaction would be.

* * * * * *

Leo felt the blast impact against the back of his frame. He surged forward from the impact, nearly hitting the control panel. He silently thanked the harnesses that strapped him in before examining the damage.

"No motor control…no propulsion…no weapons…no communications…I'm a sitting duck…" he whispered, closing his eyes in disappointment of his own lack of skill. More shots bounced of the armour, slowly nibbling away at the Frame's last line of defence: its structural integrity. "Guess it is all over…I'm sorry…Celvice…"

He pressed the eject button on the Frame, blasting the cockpit outwards into space. That would by him a little time to reflect on himself, and his nature. He could hear the shots of energy whizzing past his cockpit, the attacks slowly getting more accurate.

"Celvice…I'm sorry…" Leo repeated, awaiting his final moment without a word more.

**Completed:** 11/09/01

**Author's Note:**

If you noticed the completion date between chapter 2 and 3, you may notice a large gap. My quality may not be as good as the other two chapters...sorry...


	4. The Lion's Roar

**

The Lion's Roar

**

**

By: Theodore 'Blitz' Leung

**

theoleung@sprint.ca

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Zone of the Enders (ZOE). Konami does. I wish I did, it's a good game, albeit short. But the Metal Gear Solid 2 (MGS2) demo was a good addition. Anyway, enough rambling, time to get this fic on.

The Frame emerged before Leo, raising its large crab like arm and ready to throw the final blow into the ejected cockpit of the Frame. Leo cried out in surprise, instinctively raising his arms, even if it was no use to do so.

Fate gave Leo another destiny, however. The cockpit rocked, but was far from being destroyed in and added to the Frame graveyard this battle site was already becoming. He slowly retracted his arms, opening his eyes and gazing out of the shield that overlaid the cockpit.

The soft shimmer of light blue caught his eyes, the aura surrounding the familiar blade that Leo recognized. He followed it to its source, hoping to find if it was true or not, in such a situation. His suspicions were confirmed upon looking 'higher up' in the space battle.

"ADA!" the boy Frame Runner exclaimed, recognizing the design of Jehuty instantly. He was relieved to find that his life was saved, even more so that ADA still existed, and has not yet started a full assault into the target location as of yet.

"Your actions continue to remain illogical," ADA spoke in a matter-of-fact female tone that came from her programming. Leo smiled a bit, glad to hear that voice again. However, the reality of the situation dawned on him once more, his attitude growing serious once more.

"I have to save Celvice," Leo told ADA, gripping the useless controls of the ejected cockpit tightly, unconsciously arousing memories of his failures in the past. ADA seemed to 'agree' with Leo, ejecting her 'dummy' cockpit and attaching Leo's ejected cockpit to Jehuty. A quick download and ADA was in the computer of the 'intruder' cockpit that Leo was stationed in.

"Affirmative," ADA told Leo, the final seals hissing to a close, linking the cockpit to Jehuty. "Docking sequence complete, commencing Operation: Lion Strike."

"Lion Strike?" Leo questioned, surprised by that comment, or better said, what ADA meant with 'Operation: Lion Strike'. He glanced back towards Jehuty, as though he was talking to the massive Frame he piloted only a few days back, and here he was again, piloting it.

"Operation: Lion Strike, directive: annihilation or Mars base, Aumaan, through means of self detonation of Jehuty within the core of the base causing a chain reaction resulting in a 22.3+ giga ton explosion that will destroy the entire base," ADA informed the Frame Runner in her mechanical, yet female, voice. "Operation: Lion Strike, new directive, rescue Celvice Klein from containment, priority over previous directive." Leo remained dumb founded by the remark, as well as the change of plans that ADA instituted for her mission. "Chief Engineer Elena informed me of the problem, and, after assessing your illogical and brash actions, I decided to return and assist you in your operation. It would seem mutually beneficial for us to co-operate with each other once more." Leo still couldn't believe it, but he wasn't one to back down from an offer of help like that, especially with a Frame such as this…even if it was meant for mass destruction/suicidal operations.

"Thank you…" Leo whispered, picked up by the audio receptors in the cockpit. The pilot closed his eyes, grateful for this. "Thank you…" he repeated again, mentally this time. "ADA…and Elena…thank you…"

Energy blasted against the rear energy field that protected Jehuty from attack. Leo's eyes quickly snapped open, taking the controls in his hands and dashing forward, rotating 180 degrees, then opening fire with a barrage of laser that homed onto the closest enemy and converged. The Frame that attacked Jehuty didn't survive for long. Satisfied, Leo piloted his Frame towards the Mars installation, intent on completing what he started that was so rudely interrupted.

* * * * * *

Elena looked onto the display, showing Jehuty fly off into the depths of combat, taking on its new passenger and pilot with it. Eventually, the Frame flew out of range of the cameras of the Atlantis, thus cutting all surveillance the engineer had over Leo and ADA.

"They're out of our range, heading towards the target," Elena informed Rock, standing back up and turning her gaze towards the larger man that stood in the middle of the bridge. Silence was on the section of the ship, aside from the clicking of buttons and the whirls of computers at work.

"You crazy kid…" Rock muttered finally, keeping an eye on the main display for the bridge. Fire was still being exchanged between both sides, the Atlantis trying to fire as much suppression fire into the fray as possible. The ship alone took out more then one Frame with its long range batteries.

"Hull breech has been contained," another operative on the bridge told Rock, speaking of the incident with Anubis and how it crashed into the Atlantis only moments earlier.

"Good," Rock mused, crossing his arms while still watching the view. "Concentrate fire into the battle, and advise our frames of our next coordinates for fire."

"Affirmative," the operative responded, returning back to his console on the bridge. Elena watched the view screen now, seeing the target installation behind the field of fire and battle on the screen. Jehuty would be flying there, controlled with the combined skill of ADA and Leo.

"Good luck…you two…" Elena told them silently, even if they could not hear. She wished them a successful run on their mission, as it was clear their directive would have been changed by now. Elena realized she basically set Leo up for this operation, but she hadn't counted on the 'Anubis' factor to come into play. She only concluded with three words, closing her eyes: "Come back alive."

* * * * * *

Leo slashed the energy sabre of Jehuty downwards, cutting right through the arm of the Frame that blocked his path. With that complete, he dashed towards the left, then forward again towards the station, only his path to be blocked by two more Frames.

"Get out of my way…" Leo hissed between his lips, before opening up with a barrage of Phalanx in the direction of the two. Both Frames split up, leaving a gap between them. Leo piloted Jehuty through that, quickly turning around after passing it and throwing out a cluster of Geyser pods. The two Frames tried to pursue, only to be trapped behind the cage of lasers. Leo didn't even noticed, returning with his mission to save the girl he could not protect…

"ADA, status," Leo ordered softly, without force or anger in his tone. His mind remained set on the task at hand, but his ears heard what ADA had to say.

"Seventy-four Frames engage, seventy-four Frames damaged, zero Frames destroyed," ADA informed the Frame Runner for Jehuty. Leo nodded his approval, still unwilling to take a life of another person. He regretted losing his emotions only minutes back, blasting through everything he saw just to reach his destination. It chewed at the back of his mind, and he wished he didn't destroy anyone in his rage…if only he knew for sure his wish was true…

Leo remained silent to the report, continuing to engage Frames as he made a slow progression towards the space station, stalled with more and more Frames engaging his own as he approached the Mars station, Aumaan.

* * * * * *

Jehuty threw the disabled Frame against the wall of the facility, creating a resounding thud against the steel wall of the space military installation around Mars. Leo manoeuvred Jehuty deeper into the base, losing hope in ever finding Celvice in the mess of halls and walls that made this location what it is.

"This is hopeless…" Leo whispered, despair beginning to overtake his previous optimism. The boy glanced left and right, trying to determine which would be the better route to take in the fork. After a brief moment of thought, he dived right, two Halberd attacks stabbing into the wall before him as he flew down, missing Jehuty. In response, Leo through more Geyser pods behind him, expending the last of his supply.

The Frame Runner then set his boosters on full, trying to get as far ahead of those pursuing him as possible while the Geyser forced them to a stop in the narrow corridors of the facility.

"Come on…lose them…" Leo muttered, taking the next turn, then another before halting dead right in his tracks upon entering the next chamber. The Frame Runner gasped, looking up, then down, at the massive spherical room with a large pillar in the middle. The center of the pillar resonated with light, flowing from the centre to each end of the pillar, shining through transparent glass that contained it. 

"This is the Aumaan core," ADA informed her pilot. Leo remembered the previous objective in ADA mission, one dealing with a 22.3 giga ton explosion that would wipe out this location from Mars. With the conclusion of that thought, hail of Phalanx fire opened towards him as automated turrets situated on the pillar began to open fire on the intruder in the core room. "Aumaan core's is shield with thick armour plating. Standard weapons will not penetrate the armour of the core," the computer AI informed her Frame Runner next. Leo nodded, seeing this as a way to blast the turrets without destroying the core unintentionally. Once more, he slammed the boosters on full, diving head first into the hail of fire that guarded the core of the installation.

* * * * * *

The final burst attacked destroyed the last remaining Phalanx turret of the core. As ADA informed Leo, the core still remained intact, hardly threatening overload. Leo relaxed in his chair a bit, needing a break after that tense moment of weaving in and out of fire while destroying the mainline of defence for the core.

"I'm surprised no Frames have come to destroy us in that fire fight," Leo commented, sitting back up straight after a brief rest. He glanced at the pillar of the installation, reminiscent of the main shaft that carried the main flow for the EPS in his colony.

"I detect many life forms in this colony, however, none are converging on this position," ADA told Leo in her normal mechanical and female voice.

"Which means they will either send automated Frames, or they some how don't seem interested in us…despite being in the core…" Leo analysed, glancing left and right nervously. He was expecting an attack at any time now, any time…

"Leo," ADA's voice spoke through the microphones in the cockpit. The Frame Runner glanced up at Jehuty in surprise, thinking Jehuty and ADA were one, which was true, to some degree. "Does the life of Celvice Klein matter to you that much that you will risk your own life and jeopardize this mission for that goal?"

"I…I…" Leo tried to respond, at a loss of words for that one question. He remembered letting his emotions take over when he heard Celvice was captured, and decided to mount a one man rescue operation. He almost died for it, and he was surprised that this would end him paired up with Jehuty and ADA once more.

"You value the life of others more then yourself, do you not?" ADA questioned next, drawing even more confusion into the mind of the boy who piloted Jehuty. "You have told me once that you were unwanted within your family and peers. But now, you are wanted…Celvice and Elena wish you both to stay alive, and now you risk that wish with your interest of saving one of them."

"I will not die…" Leo spoke softly, almost forcefully, after thinking. "If Celvice dies, and I did nothing to save her, then it is all my fault. I couldn't protect her, when she needed to be protected, I have to save her…or I am no better then Rock and those who will destroy for their own gains."

"Leo…you are different," ADA told her pilot. "You are not like Rock, or those others who will fight for their own goals. You fight, yes, but you are not selfish in your fight. You wish to preserve life, a difficult task with a weapon of destruction such as Jehuty, yet, you have succeeded in doing so. You do not fight for your own self interests, but you fight to help others. You would not kill needlessly. You fight because you are needed, and with that need, you fight without selfishness."

"I want Celvice to live…I didn't want her to die if you destroyed this base…I wanted to do anything in my power to save her…" Leo spoke softly, barely able to articulate himself while doing so. "And…and…and…I don't want to see you die…"

Silence engulfed the two as they processed each others words and thoughts. The pillar in front of them shimmered with energy as it created power for the installation. It seemed as though the core listened to their conversation in silent contemplation.

"I am destined to die, as a life-less machine," ADA told Leo once more, though Leo still blatantly refused such a remark.

"NO!" he cried out, slamming the controls of the cockpit with his fists. "You may be life-less, and may be a machine, but you are not destined to die! We all have the will to change our destiny, we all have a chance to live, we all must. I don't want to see you die!" With those words, the boy broke down into a sob, crying as he curled his legs up towards his body.

"I do not wish you die either…" ADA responded in her own way, softly, as though emotionally, sympathising with Leo. He slowly looked up, watching the controls in front of him. Silence over took the two again, neither able to express anything to the other that would lighten the situation.

Alarm klaxons blared in the cockpit as proximity sensors detected another Frame in the vicinity. ADA quickly took the controls, flying backwards, a staff falling to where Jehuty was floating before. Leo refocused his eyes, wiping away his tears as he placed his hands on the controls of the Frame.

"You!" he shouted out, tears of sorrow replaced by the burning anger in his eyes that sparked this whole incident with himself. The Frame before him, the pilot that started it all, the one who took Celvice, the battle that would end it here. "Anubis!"

**

**

**Completed:** 12/26/01

**Author's Note:**

Just thought I'd like to give credit to Timothy L Wilson's extremely detailed FAQ which filled me in on details that slipped my mind during the game. Location: http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/file/zone_of_the_enders_e.txt


	5. Collateral Damage

**

Collateral Damage

**

**

By: Theodore 'Blitz' Leung

**

theoleung@sprint.ca

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Zone of the Enders (ZOE). Konami does. I wish I did, it's a good game, albeit short. But the Metal Gear Solid 2 (MGS2) demo was a good addition. Anyway, enough rambling, time to get this fic on.

Leo gripped the controls of the Frame tightly, watching the hovering 'Jehuty' before him, better known as Anubis. The Frame Runner grew anxious and nervous, wondering if he had a chance this time, unlike their previous encounter. The fact remained that Jehuty still was not operating at full strength, much like how it was at the space colony where Leo first found the Frame, not all functions fully installed, not ever close, even after all the upgrades he located during the escape.

"In our current condition, survivability against Anubis is less then 1%," ADA calculated, though Leo didn't really want to hear it. He wasn't going to back down this, or else he would never be able to save Celvice.

The Frame Runner gritted his teeth, letting his friend down once, but not twice, not this time. He wouldn't let her down again.

ADA 'watched' Leo as he analysed the situation, 'tempted' to offer advice but 'decided' to remain silent, 'wishing' for the events to unfold by themselves. The Frame Runner remained silent, expecting taunts or arrogant remarks from the opposing Frame. He was silently surprised when no such remarks came, wondering just who was piloting that Frame now, if not the same person he met back at the colony.

"Who…are you…?" Leo questioned, prepared for anything, expecting an assault at any moment now. He was glad he was prepared too, as Anubis quickly blasted forward, drawing its staff and taking a swing at Jehuty. Leo barely had time to react, quickly shifting to his side and raising the blade on Jehuty's arm, blocking the blow. The Frame shuddered under the impact, though remained intact. The Frame Runner quickly commanded Jehuty away, thus beginning the all too familiar pattern of Anubis phasing in and out of space, appearing and disappearing, unsure when he will strike or not.

"Not this again…" Leo muttered, trying to keep up with Anubis as best as possible. The Frame Runner found himself getting dizzy from concentrating too hard, though he knew he could not relax for a second, or get destroyed when Anubis does attack.

Leo quickly manoeuvred the Frame in a 180 degree spin, raising the blade of Jehuty. The staff came down fast and hard, breaking through the energy blade of Jehuty. Leo gasped, backing away as Anubis went back into the fit of phasing.

"Jehuty's blade has been disabled," ADA reported, though Leo knew it was quite clear. A quick report appeared on the screen on one the panels in front of Leo, though the Frame Runner didn't read it, concentrating more on the battle then at some damage report.

"How can you fight something you can not keep up with…?" Leo muttered, trying to the best of his ability to predict how Anubis will attack, but failing in every single way to determine a pattern. "There just HAS to be a way…" he whispered, a bit louder then before.

"Perhaps…doing the exact opposite of what is expected?" ADA suggested, confusing Leo at first. The Frame Runner was confused on two reasons: one, what ADA meant; and two, that ADA was actually…suggesting something, instead of being precise and accurate about 'plans'.

During this moment of silence, Anubis struck again quickly. Leo quickly activated the boosters, blasting towards his left, the staff of the other Frame tearing some of the plating off of Jehuty's hull. The fragments floated through the gravity less chamber, impacting against Anubis, but doing nothing significant. The opposing Frame continued to bound in and out of existence, waiting for another opportunity to attack.

"Damn, I just can't hit him!" Leo cursed, tightening his grip around the controls. He was getting frustrated with the helplessness of the situation, not expecting to win in such a situation. However, ADA's words dawned on him again, wondering how he could do the unexpected. Then, as the words crossed his mind, a though ran through as well. Leo gasped, finally understanding what he could do, and kicking himself mentally for not thinking of such in the first place. "Alright ADA, let's do the unexpected…" Leo informed his computer companion. The AI was 'curious' about what Leo has thought up, 'watching' again with intent. The computer was 'interested' in Human behaviour, especially being around one such as Leo so long.

Leo relaxed a little, knowing full well his efficiency would drop if he continued to be so tense. It surprised himself he could be so calm now, waiting for the opening he needed for this plan of his to work.

* * * * * *

Elena watched the fireworks on the view screen, wondering what was going on within and around the installation. The outside was quite apparent, with Frames from ships such as this one engaging the enemy while Jehuty went in to complete its mission.

Though it crossed her mind much earlier that Leo might have other ideas, as may ADA, after the two got to know each other better with the experience back at the colony. She wondered how Leo was going to pull this off…even if he doesn't want to kill everyone there, ADA still had her directives to complete, and as such, would lead to conflict.

"So, what are you going to do, Frame Runner?" Elena wondered silently, keeping an eye on the view screen. She knew Leo would somehow become reunited with ADA during this time, but didn't expect such circumstances to occur. Even so, she left a present for Leo inside Jehuty, and ADA knew it was there. If anything, it would grant ADA 'another life'.

The engineer sighed, closing her eyes and imagining the outcome of today's mission.

* * * * * *

"Can I really do it?" Leo thought, doubt beginning to linger in his mind even after such a short time. He kept an eye on Anubis' movements throughout the chamber, but made no move to anticipate anything. Instead, he would rely on his reaction and wits, hoping to strike at the crucial moment he needed to attack with.

ADA, as though 'bored', was posting all the locations Anubis phased in at on one of the heads up display panels, though Leo didn't pay attention to it, much like the damage report beforehand.

"Leo…" ADA spoke 'softly', more like her audio speakers reduced in sound. Her word was followed by a soft hissing sound as something appeared over his shoulder behind him. A small platform shifted out, as bracer-like object hanging on it. Leo watched the item in surprise, wondering if this had to be done at this moment. Even with that thought, the Frame Runner took the item, keeping a hand on the control. He eyed the item, a bracer with a computer attached. The platform returned to whence it came, as Leo took both his hands off the controls for an instance, placing the bracer on. He then returned both his hands to the controls.

"A gift, from Elena," ADA explained, 'wondering' if she would ever get a chance like this again. "It was hidden within Jehuty, and all Frame Cockpits are universally fit to any Frame."

"Just…what is it…?" Leo questioned, keeping his guard up for the opportunity he needed. Anubis continued to jump around, though ADA discontinued her report of locations. He admired the bracer for a little, before turning his attention back to Anubis, who, at the moment was right before Leo. "WOAH!" the Frame Runner exclaimed, flipping backwards and down below, the staff passing slightly over Jehuty's head. Leo huffed, missing the opportunity he had, but he knew more would be coming, as Anubis re-entered his standard strategy of remaining 'un-hittable'. "Continue…" Leo spoke, the words slipping through his lips, though he knew ADA would here in the cockpit.

"It is…my second life…" ADA tried to answer, through the initial remarked confused Leo. "Within that bracer is a record of all my…'memories' since I was created. Even if Jehuty is destroyed, I will remain on that bracer's computer."

"I…see…" Leo remarked, feeling relieved about that one fact. He was glad of such an idea, though wondered why no one thought of it before, to save AI who do missions like this. "I guess no one…cares…"

"It was Elena's idea," ADA informed Leo, as though reading his mind. "She saw a…'bond' between us, and decided, that this should not be the end for me…" Leo nodded, keeping an eye on Anubis' actions as he appeared and disappeared.

"Thank you," Leo spoke silently, grateful for Elena's genius and initiative in the matter. However, that gratitude was short lived as Anubis attacked once more. "Oh no, not this time," the thought said, crossing through Leo's mind extremely quickly. The pilot mentally grinned, watching Anubis' staff coming towards Jehuty.

In response, and completely intentionally, Leo raised the right arm of Jehuty, taking the full force of the staff into its one arm. The entire Frame rumbled and screeched as massive force impacted against Jehuty. Leo gritted his teeth, looking up at the HUD and watching the damage report for that one part alone. It was clear that arm would not be very helpful anymore, though Leo was sure he wouldn't need it at the moment.

Once the vibrating stopped, Leo glanced back up, seeing Anubis still there, obviously confused, or that he just wasn't able to warp without being clear of his foe. Either way, the stall gave Leo all the time he needed to strike now. With as much power as he could muster from Jehuty, he sent a punch right into Anubis' stomach with the other arm. The Frame Runner thought he could hear metal grinding metal as Jehuty's punch made a large dent in the Frame of Anubis, definitely causing some harm as the Frame floated backwards, 'stunned' by the blow.

Leo was taken with surprise at his bold manoeuvre, even more surprised that it succeeded. The Frame Runner relaxed, though that changed when Anubis quickly recovered, obviously angered by the blow. However, he didn't phase out of existence again.

"How come he's not entering the same attack pattern he always uses?" Leo inquired, keeping an eye on the Frame he was at a stand off with.

"The last and only attack towards Anubis destroyed his ability to phase," ADA informed Leo. The Frame Runner swore he heard a hint of sarcasm in her voice, but decided this was no the time to pursue it, as now he and Anubis were more on equal grounds now, albeit, not much more equal. Anubis still held a distinct advantage, being more prepared then Jehuty, and much less damaged considering the past few exchanges.

"We're still out matched, but at least we have a chance now…" Leo commented, wondering how he could engage his next attack with little to no damage to himself, especially with a very unresponsive arm at his disposal, part of the trade off from the previous and only exchange of damage. Also, on that note, Leo hoped that Anubis had no form of projectile weapons, and if so, that the Frame Runner was too arrogant and/or confident to use them in combat against a much weaker 'version of their Frame'. "But…now…how to continue?" Leo questioned out loud, confronted with the next problem in this combat.

"Perhaps a continual pattern of 'unexpectedness' would be the best course of action," ADA suggested, again surprising Leo that ADA could suggest something with uncertainty. However, that idea was sound, considering what happened during the last course of 'unexpectedness' from the Frame Runner and Jehuty. Leo just couldn't see anything wrong with that train of thought, however unorthodox it may seem. Though it did strike Leo at the moment that he didn't know how he could strike in some strange and relatively insane manner that would throw Anubis' Frame Runner off balance.

The thought had to come soon, as Anubis quickly launched another assault after the Frame Runner regained his balance and composure, the staff ready to strike once more, probably foregoing any form of distance combat. It confused Leo, as he quickly evaded to the side as the staff came down in an upward slash, the follow up came as a crosscut towards his direction, forcing Leo to lower his altitude.

"Geeze, doesn't he believe in keeping back and firing?!" Leo exclaimed, pushing the boosters to its limit for a moment, putting distance between himself and Anubis.

"Anubis was designed to be more close combat oriented then Jehuty," ADA informed the Frame Runner of Jehuty, ablating his curiosity.

"Hence, the more close combat oriented role he takes, as well as the larger weapon…" Leo analyzed, watching Anubis come again, boosters full, slowly closing the gap between the itself and the retreating Jehuty. Leo knew his back would hit the wall of the core chamber soon, so he needed a plan, and soon. Just like before, it dawned on him, continuing to boost backwards, leading Anubis towards the wall. "ADA, upper left HUD display, distance between us and the wall behind," Leo ordered, getting the reading instantly on display. He made a quick calculation mentally, 'watching' the wall getting closer as Anubis pursued.

"Let's end this," Leo hissed, manoeuvring Jehuty into a roll, directing the Frame's legs towards the wall he was approaching. The Frame Runner could feel the grinding of metal from the wall as well as from Jehuty, the knees of the Frame Bending, and it was quite clear what was going to happen. Anubis continued to pursue, however. With one powerful thrust, Jehuty 'leapt' off the wall, boosters on full, rushing towards Anubis. The opposing Frame swung its staff to destroy Jehuty in one fell swoop, but Leo quickly grabbed the staff with the undamaged arm of Jehuty, nearly destroying that arm as well, but forcing the staff away enough to not interfere with his attack. Jehuty shoulder tackled Anubis with full force, crashing into the already damaged chest armour of Anubis, breaking through. Metal of both Jehuty and Anubis blasted out from the collision of titans. The armour pieces and shards floated into the gravity-less space in the facility, littering the area with damaged parts. Leo held his breath in, the enire Frame round him shaking and rumbling from the impact, lasting for a full minute before subsiding. Leo quickly looked up, seeing the immobile Anubis float slowly towards the distance, towards the core.

"Anubis has ceased to function," ADA informed the Frame Runner of Jehuty. Leo relaxed a little, but was still alert, not trusting ADA's readings as of yet.

"That was almost too simple…" Leo commented softly, watching the lifeless Anubis float towards the core of the facility, wondering if it was by coincidence or not that Anubis was floating in that direction.

"Good job kid," a voice boomed through the speakers, and through his comlink. Leo gasped in surprise, recognizing the voice as the same Frame Runner of Anubis in their first encounter. "I didn't think you'd be able to do it, but you did…too bad you didn't kill me…but, that's besides the point."

"B-But…who's piloting Anubis then?" Leo gasped, watching the lifeless Frame beside the core now. As if on cue, the screen for the cockpit faded away, revealing a form.

"I was, by remote control," the other Frame Runner informed Leo. "I knew one of those two Frames would be destroyed in this mission, and I was curious to be which one," the other continued, mocking Leo. "Of course, I wanted to raise the stakes a little…I wonder how you'll handle it." Leo peered into the cockpit, seeing the form of someone he knew very well.

"Celvice!" Leo screamed out, anger seething in his body and mind. Her body was bleeding with multiple wounds, probably caused from the combat again Jehuty.

"No life signs are detected within the vicinity," ADA continued, 'sadness' in her voice.

"No, no, no!" Leo continued to scream, pounding at the controls of Jehuty, wondering just what he has done, what he did to the one person he was trying to rescue. "How can you!?" the Frame Runner exclaimed to the person on the other side of the frequency.

"You'll be joining her soon enough, don't worry, _boy_," was the last words of the transmission, before it was cut. ADA quickly detected a reading from Anubis.

"Anubis' is accumulating a large amount of energy within its core," ADA 'quickly', yet 'calmly' informed Leo. "Despite a cease in function, a self destruct mechanism must have been triggered," ADA spoke, though it was clear that the information wasn't reaching Leo.

"Celvice…I killed her…" Leo wept and sobbed, taking over for his previous anger, knowing it was full well he did the deed, not the one who kidnapped her in the first place. ADA, seeing the deteriorating mental state of the Frame Runner now, opted to take control again, activating the boosters of Jehuty and flying towards the closest exit of the facility, hoping to clear the distance of the explosion…

* * * * * *

Leo slowly awoke to a soft and light touch against his forehead. His eyes slowly fluttered open, a hand slowly stroking his forehead. Focusing his vision a little, he was surprised at what he saw.

"Celvice?!" he exclaimed in surprise, rolling away from the female, and falling right off his bed with a resounding thud. "Oow…" he moaned, catching the attention of the other occupant in the room. Elena quickly walked out form within the infirmary, seeing the now awake Leo. "What…happened?" Leo groaned, standing up, seeing Celvice across the bed from him, standing up now as well. Then, he remembered the last few events that occurred.

"The facility was destroyed with the self destruction of Anubis," Celvice started, making it clear this wasn't the Celvice Leo knew from before. "I piloted Jehuty away from the imminent explosion, but was unable to escape fully. In an attempt to keep you alive, I ejected the cockpit. You barely survived the ordeal."

"Just…who…are you?" Leo asked, pointing towards 'Celvice', though it wasn't her. "And…how long have I been out for?"

"Almost a week now," Elena informed the Frame Runner, approaching Leo to make sure he was all okay. "You were lucky Jehuty didn't explode when the blast caught up with it, or else you wouldn't be here."

"I'd rather be dead," Leo muttered, remembering what he did to Celvice. The feeling to repent for his deeds were strong in his mind, and he believed the only way to do such was to die. That thought revolved around his mind before he noticed the bracer still on his arm. Retracing his memories, he recalled something, glancing back towards 'Celvice'.

"…ADA…?" Leo questioned, getting a nod from the mimic of Celvice. She pointed towards the bracer.

"There is a projector on there, reflecting the image of what you see right now," ADA informed Leo, bowing her head lightly.

"It was ADA's idea to install something like that, and she specifically requested Celvice as her form," Elena told Leo, filling in a few excluded details from the previous sentence.

"I…thought it would help you recover," ADA spoke, stuttering for one thing, helping someone else for another.

"She was by your side for the whole time you were unconscious," Elena continued, filling in omitted details of ADA. Leo looked up at Elena, then towards 'Celvice', blinking in surprise, the thought of suicide not so much wrapped in his mind anymore. In fact, he seemed calmer then any time after the colony incident when he was first acquainted with ADA.

ADA smiled at Leo, looking genuine, as Leo was expecting something…artificial, but it wasn't. He wondered what was going through ADA's 'mind' right now, and what provoked her to do such a transformation. Nevertheless, Leo was grateful to ADA for trying her best.

The Frame Runner sat on the bed again, turning his back towards 'Celvice'. ADA approached him, however, taking a seat beside the disturbed and wounded boy. Unknowingly, Leo lay his head on ADA's shoulder, closing his eyes. He whispered a name:

"Celvice…"

ADA smiled once more upon hearing the name, glancing up at Elena, who was now leaving the pair in private.

**

****Completed:** 02/12/02

**Author's Note:**

Well, it's done, that ends this series of fics, which took me a while to do, but it's done now. I don't know what sparked me to write such events taking place, and I know I'm probably out of character, but I guess it's my nature to lose track of what's going on sometimes. I hope you enjoyed it, though it might be possible for a sequel to emerge, I have not decided yet. Probably not, but one never knows. Well, Blitz signing out now. Bai…


End file.
